Scaffold



wwmm

Ami za wwa A. WI. CUMMHNGS SCAFFOLD Filed April 16, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 W6 MENTOR r-us ATTORNEYS A. W. CUMMINGS mmm SCAFFOLD Filed April 16, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV OR HIS ATTORNEYS April 2%, mm. A. W. CUMMINGS SCAFFOLD Filed April 16, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 [N E TOR HIS ATTORNEYS Waterti ht pm, $9

5 Claims.

My invention relates to scaffolds, and includes among its objects and advantages an improvement in and an extension of the range of usefulness of devices of the type employed chiefly in 5 connection with the construction and decoration of buildings.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line li-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line -0 of Fi 4;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line l--l of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a detail view of an attachment;

Fig. 9 is a view illustrating the function of the attachment in connection with the structure disclosed in Figs. 1 to '7, inclusive; and

Fig. 10 is a View illustrating a diiferent adjustment of the structure in Fig. 9.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate my invention, I make use of two supporting legs it! connected with a bracket structure 52 arranged for supporting and guiding a movable standard it. The bracket it comprises two straps it an ranged in spaced relation with a pair of companion straps l8. I arrange two channel members 20 between the straps l0 and i8 and connect all the parts into a rigid assembly by means of rivets 22. Referring to Fig. 7, it will be noted that the arrangement of these parts in such that the bracket embodies a rectangular opening con. forming to the configuration of the cross sectional contour of the standard Ml, whereby the latter may slide freely.

I prefer to make the standard it from a single piece of strap material 24 bent back upon itself at 26 and separated to receive a wood beam 28. Rivets 30 connect the strap with the beam. The end 26 of the strap is separated to receive a supporting bar 32 having a toothed edge 30 arranged to support planking 36. Similarly, the upper ends of the strap 24 are bent together and conwith the lower end of the standard it by a rivet nected with an upper supporting bar 38 having a toothed edge 40 arranged to support an upper deck of planking 42. A bolt it connects the lower bar 32 with the standard it, while a bolt 55 connects the upper end of the standard with the bar 33. In Figs. 1 and 3, the bar comprises strap material bent back upon itself at 08 to provide two reaches 50 having their ends pointed at 52 to provide prongs arranged to engage a building wall 54, see Fig. 4, to support the scaffold in an operating position with the lower ends of the legs l0 resting on a supporting surface 50. The arrangement of the parts is such that the 01? balanced weight of the scaffold causes the device to lean against the building and is firmly supported thereby. It will be noted that the planking or Ml lies wholly upon one side of the legs l0 with the scaffold in the position of Fig. 4, so that the load supported on the planking merely increases the supporting action of the building wall.

In arranging the scaffold along the building wall, it is desirable that means be provided to prevent scratching of the woodwork. To this end, I provide a roller 53 connected with an arm 00 slidably positioned between the two reaches 50. In Fig. 4, the arm '00 is provided with a slot 02 arranged to receive a bolt 64 passing through the two parts 00 comprising a rigid link connecting the bars 34 and 38. This bolt also passes through the reaches 50. A similar bolt 08 connects the lower end of the link with the bar 34. One end of the arm 80 is pivotally connected With a lever i0 pivotally connected at 12 between the reaches 50. Thus, movement of the lever i0 through the medium of its handle end i4 causes longitudinal movement of the arm 60. The slots 02 permit the arm 60 to be moved sufficiently far to project the roller 58 beyond the points 52 of the reaches 50 so that the roller will ride along the building wall during the positioning of the scaffold. This feature is an important one in connection with work necessitating extension legs connected with the legs l0. Under such conditions, the roller 50 rides along the building walls and guides the scaffold as it is being lifted the necessary height. I provide a latching bar it having a pivotal connection with the lever l0 and having slots 18 arranged to receive a latching pin 80 fastened to the reaches 50, see Fig. 4. In operation, the latching bar it supports the arm 80 in either of its two positions.

In Fig. 1, a diagonal brace bar 62 is bolted between the parts 60 at 84 and pivotally connected 86. Thus, the rectangular frame comprising the standard I4, the bars 34 and 38, and the link 66, is effectively braced through the medium of the diagonal 82.

I provide means other than extension legs for adjusting the bars 34 and 38 for elevation. This means comprises a bar 88 pivotally mounted upon the rivet 86 and extending upwardly through the guide loops 90 formed integrally with the straps I8. This bar is provided with angular teeth 92 arranged to extend over the upper loop 90 and the beveled edge 94 on a brace 86 having its ends secured to the lower strap I8 by means of rivets 98 fastening this strap and the lower straps I6 to the legs I0. Rivets I00 connect the upper straps I6 and I8 with the upper ends of the legs I0. I also rivet the brace 96 to the loop 90 asso ciated with the upper strap I8.

Referring to Fig. 4, a coil spring I02 connects the lower end of the bar 88 with the bight of the loop I04 which comprises an extension of the diagonal brace 82. This spring tends to swing the bar 88 in the direction of the upper loop 90, so that one of the angular teeth 92 will always engage the loop upon a slight downward movement of the standard I4 with respect to the bracket structure I2. I construct the angularity of the teeth in such a manner that the bar 88 may slide freely in an upward direction through the holding loop, but when one of the teeth once engages the upper edge of the loop the tooth will be firmly held by reason of its hook formation.

Means for adjusting the standard I4, to secure various adjustments of the bars 32 and 38, comprises a crank I06 provided with a drum portion I08 connected with a cable IIO having one end connected with a link II2 mounted upon a rivet I I4 carried by the loop portion I04. Brackets II6 support the crank and drum structure. Thus, it will be seen that the standard I4 may be lifted by merely turning the crank I06 in the proper direction. The spring I02 yields easily to permit upward movement of the bar 88 through the upper loop 00, but the spring actuated to hold the bar firmly against the bight of the upper loop to insure engagement between one of the teeth and the bight. In lowering the standard I4 the crank is turned in one direction to lift the bar 88 slightly for disengaging the holding tooth from the bight of the loop, after which the bar 88 is held close to the standard I4 to prevent engagement of the teeth until the standard has been lowered the desired distance.

3 I provide a cam I I8 arranged to be thrown into engagement with the lower part of the bar 88 to hold the latter in its retracted position. This cam is mounted upon a bent shaft I20 to permit manual operation thereof.

At certain times it may be desirable to use the scaffold without the lower plank supporting bar 32. At this time the bolt 44 is removed and the bar 38 is swung to a position substantially between the two parts 55, and the latter, after the bolt 84 has been removed, is swung to the dotted line position, see Fig. 4.

The bolt 38 is then passed through openings I22 in the diagonal brace 82 and openings I24 in the parts 66. The diagonal brace 82 will be positioned between the two parts 66 with the bar 32 positioned adjacent one edge of the diagonal brace 82. This arrangement eliminates the projecting corner defined by the bar 32 and the parts 66.

My scafiold provides an idealarrangement for interior work. Under such conditions I detach the bars 32 and 38, the parts 66, and the wheel structure associated with the bar 38. In lieu of the removed parts I substitute a supporting structure comprising two spaced apart bars I 26 comprising a single piece of material bent back upon itself at I28. The bars are bent at I30 to provide a normally vertical reach I32 and a generally horizontal reach I34. The horizontal reach is provided with openings I36 arranged to align with the opening accommodating the bolt 46 in the upper end of the standard I4 to permit the horizontal reach to be connected with the standard by means of the bolt I38.

The plank support I40 comprises a piece of strap bent back upon itself at I42 to provide spaced apart reaches I 44 and is connected with the two parts I26 by a rivet I46. The parts I44 are provided with holes I48 aligned with the opening in the lower end of the standard I4 accommodating the bolt 44. The lower end of the standard is positioned between the parts I44 and the two are firmly bolted together by means of a bolt I50. The diagonal brace 82 is connected with the end of the horizontal reach I34 through the medium of a bolt I52.

In Fig. 10, I illustrate the plank support I40 as being provided with a beam I53 bolted between the parts I44 and I54 and arranged to support planking I56. Thus, it will be seen that through the use of four leg units, illustrated in Fig. 10, sufiicient planking I56 may be employed to cover an area substantially co-extensive with the room in which the scaifolding is erected. Of course, the planking I56 may be adjusted by height through the medium of the crank I 06 in the same way as when the scaffeld is used under conditions illustrated in Figs. 1 to '7, inclusive.

The structure disclosed in Fig. 10 is susceptible of modified use. In Fig. 9, I illustrate the planking I56 as being positioned in a plane defined by the upper end of the standards I4. In using the device in this manner, the vertical reach I32 is reversed to bring the holes I36 in the horizontal reach I34into alignment with the opening in the lower end of the standard I4 for the reception of the bolt I50. Similarly, the planking support I40 is adjusted to bring the holes I48 into alignment with the opening in the upper end of the standard I4 for the reception of the bolt I38. I provide a link I58 having pivotal connection with one of the bolts I54 and a series of openings I60 arranged to be brought into alignment with, one of the openings in the upper end of the diagonal brace 82 for the reception of the bolt I52. The series of openings in both members permit precise adjustment of the parts. It will be understood that the planking I56 may also be adjusted for elevation through the medium of the crank mechanism.

In Fig. 5, I illustrate the legs I0 as being provided with threaded sockets I62 for the reception of threaded extension legs.

Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. A scaffold comprising two legs, members connecting the legs into a rigid assembly, said members being shaped to provide a guide opening, a generally rectangular frame comprising a plurality of reaches, one of said reaches being slidably positioned within said guide opening and comprising a standard, another of said reaches providing a support for planking, a toothed bar movably carried by said standard and arranged to yieldingly engage a portion of said members, to hold the standard in various shifted positions, and crank operated means for shifting the standard relatively to said members.

2. A scaffold comprising a supporting structure, a frame made up of four pieces detachably conneoted together, two of said pieces comprising planking supports, one above the other, the third of said pieces comprising a supporting standard, means for adjustably mounting the supporting standard upon said supporting structure, a diagonal brace connecting the fourth of said Pieces with the standard, to brace said frame, said fourth piece and the diagonal brace being arranged to be collapsed for positioning the parts substantially in parallel relation, and means for connecting the fourth piece and the diagonal brace in their parallel relation, one of said two pieces being arranged to be positioned substantially in parallel relation with said fourth piece and the diagonal brace in their parallel relation.

3. A scaffold comprising a supporting leg, a frame comprising four parts, two of said parts comprising supports for planking, the third of said parts comprising a standard having two spaced openings, bolts associated with said two parts and passing through said spaced openings for connecting the three parts together, bolts for connecting the ends of the fourth part with said two parts, a diagonal brace having an end pivotally connected with the third part and the other end bolted to the fourth member, the bolted connection comprising openings in the diagonal brace and fourth member and a bolt passing therethrough, and a planking support constructed and arranged to substitute for said two parts and the fourth part, said planking support having two openings arranged to align with said two spaced openings in the standard, to receive fastening bolts, said planking support having an opening arranged to align with the bolt opening in the diagonal brace, to receive a bolt.

4. In a scaffold, a pair of legs secured together in spaced apart relation, a normally substantially vertical standard, guide means for the standard carried by said legs, a toothed bar pivotally connected at one end with the lower end of the standard and extending upwardly therealong, a catch carried by said guide means for selective engagement with said toothed bar, to support the standard in various adjusted positions, means for yieldingly holding the toothed bar in engagement with said catch, and a planking support carried by said standard.

5. In a scaffold, a normally horizontal planking support, supporting means connected with said planking support, said planking support having a prong extending beyond the plank supporting reach, a lever pivotally connected with said planking support, a link pivotally connected with one end of said lever and extending generally in the same direction as said planking support and being movably connected therewith, said link having a wheel at its free end arranged to be positioned beyond the end of said prong when the lever is moved in one direction, but arranged to be positioned inwardly of the prong when the lever is shifted in the opposite direction, and latch means operatively connecting the lever with said planking support for latching the lever in its various shifted positions.

ALBERT W. CUMMINGS. 

